Bellows-operating mechanism for player-pianos.



J: A. HOGE.

BELLOWS OPERATING MECHANISM FOR PLAYER PIANOS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. M1917.

- 1,295,989. Patented Mar. 1919.

X6 2/ 5p J /6 INVENTOR ATTO R N EY JOHN A. EDGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

- BELLOWS-OPERATIN'G MECHANISM FOR PLAYER-PIANOS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

"Patented Mar. 4t, 1919.

Application filed February 1, 1917. Serial No. 145,974.

To all whom it'mag/ concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN zen'of the United States, York city,

A. Hoes, a citiresiding at New in the county of New York and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BellowsOperating Mechanism for Player-Pianos, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to player pianos, and more particularly to motordriven bel lows operating means therefor.

The main object of the invention is to provide means of this characterso constructed as to dispense entirely with the use of pedals foroperating a player piano Another object is to provide bellows operatingmeans for a player piano which may be applied to any instrument of thischaracter already in use without necessitating any change in the pianoconstruction other than to omit the pedals, and this omission is notnecessary, but is optional with the owner.

Another object is to provide operating means of this character which maybe ap plied to pianos in which the bellows are arranged close togetheras well as to those in which they are spaced wide apart.

Another object is to provide operating means for connecting the deviceto the movable member of the bellows whereby the bellows is operatedwhen the motor is actuated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in the combination andarrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafterdescribed and claimed, it being understood that changes in the preciseembodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within thescope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of theinvention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 represents an end elevation of one form of bellows operatingmechanism constructed in accordance with this invention, a fragment onlyof a piano being illustrated and the base plate thereof being shown insection. Fig. 2 isa plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is a front view of a, fragment of a piano showing another form ofthis invention applied.

Fig. is a plan view thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated, a fragment of a player piano is shown, 1designating the base plate and 2 and 3 the bellows which are of theconstruction usual in instruments of this character.

In Figs. 1 and 2, the bellows operating means constituting thisinvention is shown applied to a piano in which the bellows 2 and 3 arearranged somewhat close together, while in Figs. 3 and 4, the mechanismina slightly different form is shown applied to a piano in which thebellows are disposed farther apart.

In the form shown in Figsil and 2, a double-armed crank shaft 1 isjournaled intermediate its ends in a standard 5 and at its ends inbearings 6 and 8, fixed to the outer face of the stationary members Band B of the two bellows. Another bearing 7 is also carried by thebellows member B in transverse alinement with the bearing 8, the outerend of the shaft 4 extending entirely across this bellows member andhence the necessity for employing two bearings. The bearings 6, 7 and 8.are each provided at their outer ends with extensions 9 which projectbeyond the edges of the bellows members B and B so as to space theintermediate crank arms 10 of the shaft a and a pulley 11 carried by oneend of said shaft away from the be]- lows members to prevent engagementof the latter by said elements and the wear consequent to saidengagement. 7

The pulley 11 is connected by a belt 12 with a motor driven pulley-13whereby the shaft 4 is operated. I V

The motor indicated at M may be housed in a sound-proof box and it maybe controlled by a. push-button (not shown) placed at a convenientpoint.

Combined attaching and reinforcing plates 14 and 15 are secured to theopposed inner edges of the movable members 6 and b of the bellows as isshown clearlyin Fig. 2. These plates are L-shaped in cross section, theshort arms as 16 thereof being engaged with the edges of the members 6and 72 and pulley .11 through ,pulley 11 will cause the operationsecured thereto by any suitable fastening means. The longer arms 17overlap the outer faces of the bellows members and reinforce them atthis point, although these reinforcing; portions maybe omitted if notdeemed necessary.

Pitmen 18 are connected at one end with the crank portions of the arms10 of shaft 4: and at their other ends are-pivotally con nected withtheplates 1i and 15 by studs 19 carried by theshort'arms of thereinforcing and attaohin plates 14 and 15, said studs being .p'referaly' threaded at their free outer ends with which ends are engaged nuts20. The ends of the pitmen which are connected with: the crank arms ofthe shaft are held in engagement therewith by suitable'bearing plates 21toprovide for the assembling of the ,parts and the ready detachment ofone ofthe pitmen when it is found necessary or desirable.

From the above description it will be obvious that when the motor is setin operation,the pulley 13 conncctedtherewith-will be driven'thereby andmotion imparted to [belt 12. The driving cause shaft 4 to be rotated andits connection by pitmen 18 with the movable bellows members Z) and Lwill of the bellows, one of which is operated alternately with theother, as is shown clearly in Fig. 2\.

In theform shown in Figs. 3 and l, the bellows 2 and 3' are placedfarther apart than those shown-in theother figures above described andthe operating shaft 4 with the driving pulley 11 thereon are arrangedvbetween said bellows. Inthis form of the invention the shaft 4: isrectilinear throughout its length and is shown journaled in a bifurcatedstandard 5, the upper ends of the furcations of which have removablebearing members 21 toprovide for the assemblingof theparts. The drivingpulley 11 is shown fixed to the shaft 4: midway its ends and operatesbetween the furcations of the standard 5. A belt 12 connects pulley 11with a motor driven pulley 13,

all-of which parts are similar to those above described, the onlydifference being in the location of the pulley 11', which insteadoftbeing atthe outer end ofthe-shaft is disposed midway its ends. Twocrank disks 2-2 and 23 are fixed to the opposite ends of shaft 4 andhave crank gpins 2 1-projecting laterally from their outer faces. Pitmen1' 8 connect the crankpins 24: with pins 19 which project laterally fromthe attaching and reinforcing plates 14: and 15 carried by the movablebellows members b and b in a manner similarto that above described. Thepitmen 18' are secured to the pins 24E at avpoint sufficiently remotefrom the disks vand 23 to permit'the turning of the disks without theengagement of the heads of driven pulley 13 manner pins 19 with thedisks. The crank pins 24 are preferably threaded and provided at theirouter ends with securing nuts 24:.

In the use of this form of the invention thepulley 11 beingdrivenbythemotor imparts its motion to the crankshaft 4 which throughthe crank disks 22 and 23 and pitmen 18' connected therewith and withthe bellows members 6 and I) operate to actuate the bellows alternatelyin relation to each'bther in the same as that described above inconne'etionwith the other form of the invm tion. 7

From the above description it will be ob-' vious that this mechanismmaybe applied to a piano already constructedwithout any change in theparts thereof, the supports for the crank shaftsbeing carried bythestandards mounted on the'base plates of the pianoand by the'stationarybellows members without marring or mutilating either of them. It willalso be obviousthat this mechanism may, with slight modification in themanner of attaching, be applied to various styles ofplayer pianos and]that itmay be operatedinterchangeably with the pedals so that thepianomay be played either automaticallyby a motor or-by foot power asmay be found desirable. v y

The crankd'sk form'of propeller shown in Figs, 3and 4 is designedprimarily for standardaction pianos in which the bellows are set farapart allowing sufiicient space for the placing of both the motor andthe propeller centrally between said bellows whereby thepower forrotating the shaft is imparted thereto midway its ends.

The double-armed crank shaft style of propeller to apply to in which thegether.

From the foregoing descriptiomtaken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing,the advantages of the construction and of the method ofoperation willbe readily apparent-to those skilled in the artto whichthe invention appertains' and while I have other makes of player pianosbellows are-arranged close'-todescribed the principle of operationof theinvention together with the device which I shown'in Figs. land 2 isdesigned 10 relatively long end journal, a relatively short pulleymounted on the long journal of the end journal and an intermediatejournal, the shaft.

long journal being located in the pair of In testimony whereof I afiixmy signature 10 bearings of the said fixed leaf, a bearing on inpresence of two witnesses.

5 the other fixed leaf to receive the short jour- V JOHN A. HOGE.

nal, pitmen connected to said offsets and to F. SEYMOUR STURDEVANT,their respective movable leaves, and a A. EDWARD BASCOM.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Pateute,

Washington, D. 0." l

